Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(11): 430-434
International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 11 (2020) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com
https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.911.052
Original Research Article
Constraints Faced by Block Level ATMA Functionaries in Providing Pluralistic Extension Services in the Cooch Behar District of West Bengal Subhrajyoti Panda* and P. K. Pal Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India *Corresponding author
A B S T R A C T
Agricultural technology management agency (ATMA) is the autonomous institution situated at the district level to provide service to the farmers. The ATMA converge with other department of public, private, NGOs and farmers to provide pluralistic type of service. The present study explores the different constraints faced by the block level ATMA functionaries in providing pluralistic extension service. The study was conducted in three blocks of Cooch Behar district. The study revealed that the respondents faced more technological constraints in the study for providing service.
K e y w o r d s Constraint, Pluralistic extension, Agriculture, Cooch Behar, ATMA Article Info Accepted: 07 October 2020 Available Online: 10 November 2020
institution which
the autonomous institution which provides extension service at the district level. It mainly works at different levels. The district level officials are Project Director and two as Deputy Project Directors working extension functionaries. The Project Director gives report to the district magistrate who is the chairman of ATMA. The Farm (FIAC) Information & Advisory Centre consisting of Block Technology Team (BTT) comprising officers of agriculture and other allied departments within the block. Block Technology Manager (BTM) is provided in each Block to co-ordinate the ATMA related
Introduction Pluralistic extension defines as the partnership of different public, private, NGOs, Farmers like to meet different approaches group extension services, funding streams, and agricultural information for providing service to the farmers (Sajesh, et al., 2018, Rivera and Qamar, 2003). Agricultural Technology Management Agency is the public extension system disseminates information to the farmers by converging with other departments and satisfies the pluralistic extension service definition. The ATMA is
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Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(11): 430-434
the ATMA officials
facing
to
are
reluctant
purpose were
activities of the BTT and Block Farmers Advisory Committee (BFAC).Under each BTM three to four Assistant technology managers are working. The block level functionaries are the agents who directly contact with the farmers. They are mainly faced different constraints in providing service. The ATMA extension functionaries of Assam were infrastructural problems, lack of adequate training on new technologies, lack of knowledge on efficient and appropriate methodologies in extension activities, lack of coordination among the staff of ATMA and unavailability of agricultural inputs at affordable price to farmers (Das and Borua, 2017). Materials and Methods The study was randomly conducted in three blocks of ATMA. 23 official respondents were selected to find out the constraints faced by them. The constraints were taken for the administrative, research management, Infrastructure technological, and policy, Financial and political constraints. Constraints were measured as perceived by the officials in the organization. Different constraint situations were exposed with a 3- point scale for response as: extreme (3), moderate (2) and low (1) respectively. The mean score of the constraints was considered as the value of constraint and ranking was done.
reward,
lack
in
providing
in
The table 1 depicted the ranking of constraints perceived by for providing service to the farmers. Administrative constraint To the run an organisation efficiently administration should be structured. From the table 1, it showed that majority of ATMA officials given first rank to inadequate staffing pattern to provide pluralistic extension service to farmer having highest mean score 2.21 followed by other constraints like other line departments support practicing pluralistic services (2.04), Staff vacancy within sanctioned posts (2.00), lack of opportunities for updating knowledge (1.91), too much report writing (1.85) and less (1.65) post of supporting staff are respectively. ATMA is formed at district level to provide pluralistic service to the farmers. But the staffing pattern is not good as it is not to recruiting any subject area specialist provide service. ATMA is formed to work with other line departments but it is only the state department of working under agriculture. ATMA should be reformed at district level with specific subject area specialist to provide service to the farmer. Management constraint Management is the process of controlling or dealing with the people for improvement of the organisation. From the table 1 it was revealed that majority of officials gives first rank to lack of incentives for excellent work having highest mean score 2.08 followed by discrimination of encouragement from superiors, difficulty in practicing Bottom-up planning with farming community and lack of cooperation from subordinates, office staff and colleagues having mean score 1.82,1.78,1.73 and 1.56 respectively.
Results and Discussion The present study explored the different constraints faced by the block level ATMA functionaries pluralistic extension services with different domains Administrative, Management, Techno-logical, Infrastructural and Policy, Financial and Political.
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Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(11): 430-434
Table.1 Constraint faced by the ATMA officials expressed in percentage (N=23)
Constraints Mean RANK Sl. No. Somewh at (1) Moderate (2) Extreme (3) Administrative constraints 0 78.26 21.74 2.21 I staffing pattern 1.
30.43 39.13 30.43 2.00 III 2.
8.70 78.26 13.04 2.04 II 3.
52.17 30.43 30.43 30.43 52.17 47.83 17.39 17.39 21.74 1.65 1.89 1.91 VI V IV 4. 5. 6. Inadequate to provide pluralistic services to the farmers Staff vacancy within sanctioned posts Other line departments are reluctant to support practicing pluralistic services Posts of supporting staff are less Too much report writing Lack of opportunities for updating knowledge
Management Constraint 39.13 26.09 34.78 2.08 I 1.
from encouragement 30.43 60.87 8.70 1.78 III 2.
cooperation 47.83 47.83 4.35 1.56 V 3. from and staff
30.43 30.43 56.52 65.22 13.04 4.35 1.82 1.73 II IV 4. 5. Lack of incentives for excellent work Lack of superiors Lack of subordinates, office colleagues Discrimination in rewards Difficulty in practicing Bottom-up planning with farming community Technological Constraints 26.09 56.52 17.39 1.91 III 1.
17.39 56.52 26.09 2.08 I 2.
17.39 65.22 17.39 2.00 II 3. Lack of location specific technologies Lack of response from the farmers to adopt technologies Lack of training facility to know about new complex technology Infrastructure and Policy Constraint infrastructural support 26.09 65.22 8.70 1.82 II 1.
support 8.70 82.61 8.70 2.00 I 2.
Lack of below district level for Inadequate policy convergence with other service departments (Govt./NGO/Pvt.) Shortage of transport facility 30.43 60.87 8.70 1.78 III 3. Financial and Political constraint 34.78 39.13 26.09 1.91 II 1.
Pressure from the local politician to fetch more benefits from KVK schemes to their own jurisdiction Inadequacy of funds 65.22 17.39 2.00 I 2. 17.39
